Let's revisit SS Indarra, a steamer which suffered similar problems to Waratah and had to be materially altered to reduce draught.

SS INDARRA SS WARATAH:

Engines: twin quadruple same

Launched: 1912 1908

Gross tons: 9735 9339.07

Length: 450 ft. 465 ft.

Beam: 60 ft. 59.45 ft.

Draught: 32 ft. 30.375 ft.

mean draught 32 ft. takes the cake and prize. Her upper deck was removed during a major refit.

I could list many more examples but I believe the message is clear, Waratah should have had a similar draught to that of Geelong, 26.9 ft.. But this was not possible with her third superstructure deck. Captain Ilbery was quite right, she should have been materially altered: